Originally Posted by
CFJunkie
I've been reloading for may years and have over 53,000 rounds on my completed list.
I don't want to rain on your parade but I'm not so sure it is all that simple.
First, all three methods are based upon the assumption that the shooter has no impact on the results that allow one to conclude what works best.
Without shooting from a fixture for every shot, that assumption is questionable.
Before I eliminated my shooter induced variations, I could never repeat the results of a ladder test, because my variations caused more change than adjustments in the powder charges.
When I was foolish enough to assume that my first results meant anything, like declaring victory after shooting one group, i was deceiving myself.
Today, I use the standard deviation among at least 10 groups of the same basic load to determine if I can even make a conclusion.
If the SD is too large, the variation is masking any effect and no conclusion can be made.
If shooter induced variation is greater than the effect of changing charge weight or shooting multiple shots into groups of consistent size, the variation caused by the shooter will often exceed the variation caused by the variables being injected to determine the best load. That means no conclusion as to the effect is possible.
The existence of excessive 'shooter induced variation' just about nullifies any ability to conclude anything using the ladder, Satterlee or OCW methods unless the shooter has learned to eliminate those variations. Unfortunately, most shooters I come in contact with refuse to recognize that they are the source of most of the inaccuracy.
And if your reloading skills are not honed somewhat by experience, the velocity variations created may be more from round to round than the normal variation caused by the powder/primer burn rate variations that yield a 5 to 7 fps standard deviation that even the most practiced reloaders will observe. Reloading induced variations, while not a severe as shooter induced variations, still make conclusions difficult to determine.
Personally, I have graduated to the Optimum Barrel Time or Exit Time method and find it the most efficient in finding an optimum accuracy load.
With one of my most accurate rifles, I experimented and found that the technique worked after I discovered how to keep the variables to a minimum.
But it took me over a year of very focused improvement actions to get my shooting and reloading techniques to the point I could even see the effect of the exit time reloading technique during my initial experimentation.
I have used that technique on 7 brand new rifles and have achieved excellent results with each within a few loads that were matched to the theoretical exit time for each particular barrel.
However, I couldn't see any effect until I had my standard deviation of groups within a load to less than 0.060 inches (My goal is less than 0.050).
I consider that technique a means to gain the last 10% improvement.
The other techniques you list are workable and many shooters have had success with them.
But now that I have broken the code, I start with the technique that gives me the most accuracy as a starting point.